Three city-level Nanjing cultural museums stay open longer

Nanjing has extended opening hours of three city-level museums to 10 pm on Friday and Saturday since July 17, the first such effort to join the growing nighttime economy.

The parent-child bonding program for 99 yuan per pair, launched by the Oriental Metropolitan Museum, was so popular that tickets already sold out. The Jiangning Imperial Silk Manufacturing Museum also offers a dazzling variety of creative handicrafts on sale during the nighttime tour. The Memorial Hall for Delegation of Communist Party of China in Meiyuan Xincun, meanwhile, used specially designed activities to attract visitors.

The three museums are all located on Changjiang Road, a vibrant hub of scenic spots and cultural expo venues.

Visitors to the Jiangning Imperial Silk Manufacturing Museum make online reservation by scanning a QR code.

They are also joint marketing efforts with catering companies on the 1912 Block at preferential prices. The Nanjing Museum Administration contributed to the cooperation in response to Xuanwu District’s call to build a cultural and tourism cluster on Changjing Road.

The integration of cultural venues into the nighttime economy requires more efforts to improve visitors’ experience rather than simply extending opening times. Guo Peizhong, the curator of the Jiangning Imperial Silk Manufacturing Museum, said it is important to find the meeting point between culture and commerce so that they can let history “go out” and citizens “come in”.